This list isn’t exclusive, of course. There are plenty of other incredible artists out there that I could have chosen. With the worldwide spread of graffiti there are so many talented artists working in the graffiti style it’s almost impossible to come up with a definitive top ten list of the “best graffiti artists.”
These 10 are pretty damned good though 🙂
Dondi
The Style Master General.
One of the most influential writers of all time. The ultimate stylist.
Revok
My favorite of the LA style writers. I eat that West Coast style up and Revok has taken it all to an impossible extreme. So fresh.
(all revok photos courtesy flickr user anarchosyn)
Vulcan
(vulcan photo courtesy flickr user otherthings.
“The Style Messiah.”
The stuff he did in the 80s is more complex and thought-provoking to me than 99.999% of the work done since. His photos in Spraycan Art (one reproduced below) are amongst my favorite pieces of all time.
Daim
The 3d master. Daim takes what, in the hands of some is basically a cheesy novelty style and brings it to the absolute top of the graffiti style game. Top notch color, form, design and draftsmanship.
photo courtesy flickr user Pasota.com
photo courtesy flickr user Harry Palmer
Doc/Arab
(photo credit to Doc himself. Swiped from myspace)
So much style.
Ces
(classic vet and ces halloween wall courtesy flickr user dmax3270)
The classic wild style practitioner. Very influential.
Bates
For my money, the best style writer in the world today. At a time when many people literally paint the same outline dozens or even hundreds of times and just change up the colors, Bates paints a different style pretty much every time. If you’re a writer, know one thing: Bates can probably do your style better than you.
Delta
One of the most unique styles in graffiti, Dutch old school legend Delta takes his industrial design background and applies it to the letter form in wildly creative ways.
(photo credits to … you guessed it … my hard drive*)
Dream TDK
RIP
One of the first West Coast writers that really impressed me when I was younger. He had a really smooth classic style. People doing 500 color “burners” could learn a lot by looking at Dream’s letters.
REAS
Reas is, for my money, the best practitioner of that funky AOK/RIS style that basically took over graffiti a few years ago. So fresh, crazy influential and as Todd James, one of the top ‘writer makes good stories” ever.
Photo credits are noted where possible. A lot of these are just pulled from my hard drive (and therefore originally pulled off the net), so if you see an image here that’s yours and you want it pulled or just want me to properly credit you, please just let me know.
RSS - Posts
By alex 2008/07/27 - 11:03
Not a bad list but I definitely would have added Cycle, Espo, Tracy 168, Twist and a couple of others in the top ten.
By DATER 2010/09/15 - 19:26
Nice list, but about BATES, his style is severly the same.To me the master of disguise is REVOK, every one of his work since he started is different.
By rob 2010/09/16 - 11:00
clearly, I disagree with that assessment of BATES, but you already knew that since you read the article….
By Chris B 2011/10/04 - 13:42
I would like to hire Bates for my house does anyone know how to contact him. good looking out email me at ninthsun@msn.com
By king tubby 2010/10/19 - 17:54
Nice list, indeed. About Bates, I’m also a great fan of the danish style master. His style is flawless, one of the top writers in the world.
By MRS DATER 2012/01/25 - 15:23
Yes I completly agree with you DATER, the work is rather the same, but dont you apreciate that? PS: WOULD IT GO IN OUR LIVING ROOM?
By Spook1ARSK 2012/05/03 - 03:11
DYSE, ZODAK. nuff said
By Fetsone 2012/07/08 - 17:03
Check this site before you made your own list
dutch oldschool master dphazer aka fetish
http://www.dphazer.com
By rob 2008/07/27 - 11:33
cycle is imok, so I didn’t want to look like I was playing favorites… lol. he’s super fresh.
By David Cancel 2008/07/27 - 11:41
Need one on top “all city” bombers. Like JA, Cope2, Cost, etc.
By Tom OKeefe 2008/07/27 - 15:53
Nice list Rob.
By NOW 2008/07/28 - 01:07
KOSIONE LOOMIT EWOK TASSO SEEN?
TOO MANY TO PICK 10!
But Thank you!
-NOW
weareallone.tv
By rob 2008/07/28 - 06:48
“TOO MANY TO PICK 10!”
Exactly!
By DENSKE 2013/01/02 - 14:44
absolutely! cause everyone has favorites, like ice cream. everyone has favorites and nobody’s wrong. but this is a respectable list of those that make their presence known globally.
By Dan Semy 2008/07/28 - 10:06
I’d add Wane, Revs and T-Kid but it’s a fine list nonetheless.
By Necro 2008/08/02 - 17:27
weres sane smith cmon
By Solar 2008/08/18 - 16:53
SABER!! wtf!
definetley over a couple of the old school ones
overall nice choices
By NYC GRAFFITI ART 2008/08/18 - 18:38
I THINK YOU FORGOT COPE2 WEST METRO GHOST KET
CES FX
By Danny 161 2011/04/01 - 18:08
Does anyone remember MOOD on the Lex lines in the mid seventies….Not to mention Lee or any of T M O B……..
By jay 2012/09/07 - 04:54
What has metro done to be on your list ..he’s an fba wanna be…
By rob 2008/08/24 - 20:50
@NYC GRAFFITI ART
Definitely didn’t forget those guys. GHOST vs. REAS was one pairing I thought a lot about. WEST is insanely good too. There are just so many fresh writers to choose form I had to just choose… I’ll debate this list internally for a while.
@solar Again it was SABER vs. REVOK and I went with REVOK. It’s probably because we both have names that start with RE, but his stuff appeals to me just a little more than SABER. SABER is super fresh.
By DedsOne 2011/12/13 - 17:39
Anyone hating on Revok hasn’t travled enough. Graf’s about gettin up n no one gets up like that fool. Truck stop in the middle of nowhere, billboards in Australia, cities eveywhere, your sure to see Revok….world king……..
By DADDYRAWBUCKS 2008/10/01 - 20:38
NO PHASE TWO NO STYLE MASTERS. PERIOD END OF STORY. AND NO DISS TO BATES BUT 99.9% OF WHAT HE DOES IS EVERYONE ELSES STYLE!!! GHOST??? BE SERIOUS.
By rob 2008/10/01 - 20:57
PHASE2 could have a post of his own, no doubt. I definitely didn’t mean to diminish PHASE2’s contribution to style by omitting him in this list. This isn’t the top ten. It’s just ten out of many.
I think GHOST is fresh. I know some people are never going to like that style, but to me GHOST is 100% fresh.
BATES, yeah, he does “everyone else’s style,” but half the time he does them better…
By DADDYRAWBUCKS 2008/10/02 - 19:45
ROB YOU’S A COOL GUY NO DOUBT. YEAH TECHNICALLY WE CAN “DEBATE” STYLE FOREVER.BUT MASTERING STYLE IS ABOUT INNOVATION CREATIVITY AND BURNING. BURNING AMONGS THE BEST INNOVATORS AND ORIGINALS IN A CERTAIN RESPECT.
AND IN A BATTLE AGAINST THE BEST OF SUCH A LOT A FEW OF THESE GUYS WOULDN’T STAND A CHANCE.TEHY WOULD GET PUMMELED. ALONG WITH THE PHANTOM.
ANOTHER THING THAT PEOPLE CURRENTLY SLEEP ON IS THAT A LOT OF THESE TECHNICALLY CORRECT COMPUTER ARCHITECT ART SCHOOL DO IT BY THE BOOK TYPES THAT MAY HAVE THE SKILLS HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO SOUL.
FROM A HARDCORE STYLE FREAKS PERSPECTIVE IF YOUR STYLE ISN’T COMING FROM OUT OF YOUR MIND, BE IT FLIPPING WHAT INFLUENCES YOU TO ANOTHER LEVEL OR JUST COMING FROM NO FIELD WITH SOMETHING THAT’S THE TRUEST DEGREE OF STYLE. BEYOND STANDARDS.
IF YOU ARE FLIPPING SWITCHES TO “CREATE” THAT AND THEN SIMPLY TAKE YOUR LITTLE COPY TO FOLLOW THROUGH ON IT, OKAY THE
END RESULT IS SOMETHING BUT WHAT ARE THEY REALLY CREATING INNOVATING OR BRINGING TO THE TABLE ON A NEW FOUND TIP??
YOU HAVE BUMS WHO ARE BETTER (IN THE MINDS OF THE BLIND) THAN THE NEXT BUM WHO PEOPLE PUT ON A PEDESTAL BECAUSE ONE OF A FEW THINGS.THEY CAN’T DO IT AND THERE’S NO ONE AROUND BETTER THAN THE BUMS…ETC SO DA BUMS A CHAMP.
STANDARDS OF STYLE HAVE DIMINISHED OVER THE YEARS. PEOPLE CAN LIKE WHAT THEY LIKE. LIKE LOVING WEAK RAP. WHEN IT’S OBVIOUS WHAT THE EXQUISITE STUFF IS. SOULJA BOY?? OKAY WE LOVE YOU BRA. BUT RAKIM HE WILL NEVER BE. LOVING HIM IS NEVER GOING TO MAKE HIM THE CREME OF THE CROP WHEN IT COMES TO THE FACTS.
OPINIONS DON’T KNOCK PEOPLE AND OUT PUNCHES DO. IT’S MATH.
THIS ISN’T A DEBATE THOUGH. JUST WANT TO MAKE A POINT. SOME OF THESE CATS COULD PROBABLY HOLD ONE ANOTHER TO A STANDSTILL NO DOUBT. BUT THEM BASIC TYPES NEXT TO A REVOK OR VULCAN?? THAT’S CHAPPELLE!!!PEACE!!!
By DADDYRAWBUCKS 2008/10/02 - 19:46
DANG MY SPELLING!!!
By poopsicles 2008/10/19 - 17:25
instead of revok, put Skill UTI
By LAX-ONE 2008/10/20 - 02:35
deam ang dream are my heros ma dream cause he made it happen in the bay deam cause his style and the way he does all the crasy 3d
By GANXTA-BOY 2008/10/22 - 21:47
REVOKE NIKKA LA’S GRATEST ..
By CODE OF DA STREETS 2008/11/05 - 00:47
YALL ARE BUGGING OUT.HERE IS YOUR TOP TEN….
10.DOC
9.WEST
8.MITCH
7.DUSTER
6.SEEN
5.DOZE
4.T-KID
3.SKEME
2.TACK
1.DONDI
ENUFF SAID…LET IT BE KNOWN
By OMAR MUNOZ 2010/05/24 - 12:28
YOU HAD TO ADD SEEN, ERNI(WHO I PERSONALLY CONSIDER ON OF THEE BEST)LOOMIT,DARE AND MAYBE WEST…..
By OMAR MUNOZ 2010/05/24 - 12:33
THESE GUYS ARE ALL LEGENDARY AND I GREW UP IDOLIZING THEM BUT WITH THE EXCEPTION OF SEEN I DONT THINK MANY ON THAT LIST CAN COME CLOSE TO ERNI(PAZE)..IF YOU NEED PROOF CHECKOUT HIS WORK ON ERNIDESIGNS.COM….
P.S. SINCE YOU KNOW SO MUCH ABOUT NYC ARTIST THROW IN ZEPHYR RESPECTFULLY…….
By sober 1 tdk fba satx210 2010/11/04 - 20:42
U left out saber? That’s not even right
By charles 2008/12/08 - 09:27
Lee Quinones? OR Seen?
By rob 2008/12/08 - 16:23
Both are incredible. LEE especially served to remind us of what was possible with graffiti artistically and SEEN really solidified the template for what we think of as “traditional” graffiti.
By DUSTER UA 2008/12/21 - 02:23
SEEN’S A PUSSY
By REVOK 2009/01/19 - 04:11
I CAME ACROSS THIS BLOG GOOGLING FOR “EWOK AWR” PHOTOS(GO FIGURE!) -ANYWAYS, TO THE CREATOR OF THIS LIST I THANK YOU… I AM EXTREMELY HUMBLED AND HONORED TO BE(AT LEAST IN YOUR OPINION) -CONSIDERED AMONGST THE RANKS OF SUCH A AMAZING LIST OF LEGENDS, MANY OF WHOM WERE, AND STILL REMAIN TO THIS DAY A HUGE PERSONAL INFLUENCE AND INSPIRATION…
PS. IMPRESSED THAT YOU INCLUDED DELTA… A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE SLEPT ON THAT CAT, HE WAS WAAAAAY AHEAD OF HIS TIME. ONE OF MY PERSONAL FAVORITES.
R.
By aaron 2009/02/06 - 10:40
omg av u nt heard of can2
By rob 2009/02/06 - 10:45
Of course I’ve heard of Can2. Super fresh writer. Incredible characters.
By Flukez 2016/11/05 - 06:10
I agree, for the complete all out visual assault of modern day Graff.. can two is one of the best in world today..
By aaron 2009/02/26 - 13:35
my top 10 are
10.auto
9.dondi
8.cope2
7.tkid
6.billy167
5.lace357
4.delta
3.zephyer<—- dnt mind the spellin
2.seen
1. can2
By 557SouthCali 2013/07/16 - 01:35
You’re trippin. Droppin Ces? That’s TCA. Interesting some don’t know the roots of where some of the biggest influences came from.
By Broke9207 2009/02/28 - 18:31
In a ‘best graffiti writers’ list you gotta include character artists. Mode 2 bro.. legend in the game.
Good lookin list of lettermen.. askew and she one would be up on mine.. skeme, virus.
Tou take your time puttin something like this together so half the net can get together and call you an idiot eh? Good work.
By rob 2009/02/28 - 23:38
Mode2 is a good call. Complete legend and deservedly so. Guy is so good.
and yeah, lists like this mean I get to take my lumps. I’ve been around long enough to not let it bug me. To be honest, I love hearing other people’s opinions on this stuff.
By Ness790 2015/02/13 - 17:26
Y’all must never heard of the 1 United Power aka 1UP crew, sad.
By Broke9207 2009/02/28 - 18:36
And Krink!! That splatter shits gon all over the world!
By aaron 2009/03/01 - 08:07
quit beefn my list…
at the end of the day its my choice regardless of what u fink
… in belfast were im frum there are some fresh writer eg. search on youtube. belfast legends
By rob 2009/03/01 - 09:09
No one’s beefing your list aaron. All great choices.
By justin robinson 2010/06/14 - 21:13
Agree with the “list” and also agree that top ten is immpossible to keep everyone happy. Truth is there is like a top thirty list, and even then peeps would find discrepencies How about M31 and Mise. I know you wanna rep the Circle T!!!!!
By rob 2010/06/14 - 21:27
You’ll get nothing but love for Circle T from this site.
By aaron 2009/03/02 - 16:27
ok . lets put all this behind us.
so rob were u frum
By rob 2009/03/02 - 16:32
Boston, MA
By aaron 2009/03/03 - 16:36
sweet.
du u write
By rob 2009/03/03 - 20:54
REACT IMOK
By wilpower 2011/12/11 - 20:42
one question for you, what about LA’s HEX1? on what level do u think he is and do u know him? thanks & peace, Wilpower.
By jamie 2009/03/05 - 09:58
them gaffitis are hot as hell
ever since i was five iv been dreaming of
doing graffs like that 11 years ago now im almost there
By aaron 2009/03/05 - 10:19
im reali gud at sketchn n stuff bt i wud like sum help 4 a graffiti name
wud u like 2 help me
By aspire1 2009/03/12 - 11:08
yeah nice list heres what i think
10.lee
9.cert
8.abbs
7.rime
6.wane cod
5.ewok
4.askew
3.phang
2.saber
1.revok
By river 2009/04/02 - 15:09
u need to add ins, Alien ManA.M., and cope 2
By vexos 2009/04/13 - 09:51
Guys, go check ODEITH for yourselves. THE ILLUSIONIST.
By rob 2009/04/13 - 09:57
Check it:
http://www.odeith.com/
By RICO 2009/06/10 - 23:32
nah the real master are these….
1 DONDI
2 BLADE
3 SLAVE
4 CLIFF
5 HONDO
6 SUPERCOOL
7 IZ THE WIZ
8 PHASE2
9 PNUT
10 LOVESTER
SO NOW YOU KNOW!PEACE!
By jacob reyes 2010/03/08 - 11:20
i believe sonny 107 has been over looked,,,pnut will tell you..
By rob 2010/03/08 - 11:26
By jacob 2010/03/08 - 13:03
thats my dad
By sonny 107 2013/10/07 - 03:19
I have been locked down in a new york state prison for 24 years. When I went in there was no FaceBook or Google. I have only been out for six months. In those six months I have relize that many “graffiti artist and writers” have used the web to become what they are not and would never be, “Legends & Kings,” there were writers that were so supreme in the game that they held two or more tags and dominated with it; others did not have artistic ability where they could design a style, and yet they held the title “king” others had so much style that they are remembered for their PIECES (the 10 or 20 that ran for a minute)… As Sonny-107, in the early ’70s, I didn’t have much style, I got out lines from other artist like Tracy-168 & Riff-170, while perfecting my technique; however, as Sonny-107 I. Dominate the IRT line, my partners (in this ever unfolding art form) were writers & artist such as CHI CHI-133, Cliff-159, CHECKERS-170; there were many that painted with me and there were many more that I would run into in the yards or lay-ups… I didn’t spray because I was trying to “beautify” the subway system, I wrote because I enjoyed seeing my name, and because it was like a sport to see who was the best; the fastest; who got up the most, who had the. Most recognition… As Man-2, I became king of the 4, 5, and 2 line. NO ONE could keep up with me as far as pieces went. I had a simple bubble letter style. I went to the yards and lay-ups three times a day… most of the time, by myself. So I. Challenge anyone to say I. Am not what I am claiming to be here, and for all those toys and groupies th at are running around claiming to be a legend or king; check yourselves, because if you don’t, I will, cause I put that work in to own those titles…
-Sonny-107
A.K.A.
MAN-2
By jacob reyes 2013/10/27 - 18:45
Thanks for the post Robe
By RICO 2009/06/10 - 23:35
REVOK? A GUY WHO STANDS A WEEK IN FRONT OF A WALL?? THAT’S NOT GRAFFITI….
By sonny 107 2013/10/07 - 03:43
I may not agree with many of these list posted here; but there have been many generations since the first generation that I come from: the most influential as far as style, and having made an impact on the art form are in my opinion:
Super Kool 223
Stay High 149
Phase II
Spin
Mad-I
Man-2
Vinny
Cliff-159
Death
Me 163
By santoro 2009/06/12 - 08:14
i have mad respect for all these writers even tho i dont agree with your list i think banksy cope and t kid should all b on there actually
By aaron 2009/06/23 - 11:11
rico u cud mre than likley stand in front of a wall 4 a year and wud have shit on revok
By al boogie 2009/07/16 - 21:57
my list
10.H2O MI
9.KA BT
8.PER FX
7.TKID TNB
6.LEE TS5
5.NIC 1 AK
4.DONTAY TC5
3.DOZE TC5
2.DOVES TCK
1.STEM YNN
YOU MUST KNOW THESE WRITTERS CREATED OFF THE TOP OF THE DOME NO MAGS,NO BOOKS,NO INTERNET STRAIGHT DOME….AND BY THE WAY WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE CHROME ANGELS A.K.A TRAILBLAZERS THE REST GOT IT AFTER WE MADE IT PEACE……….
By angel 2009/07/21 - 20:18
Daaaaamn datz sum of da nicest work I’ve ever seen yall must b n da game fo a long time already hoply I get good like dat 1 day
By Creative soul 2009/07/30 - 12:49
props on the list. i’d trade a few out for some personal favorites. i would like to see your input on top ten crews. that would definitely start a riot but, id be down to read your input.
By rob 2009/07/30 - 13:18
First two that spring to mind ate TC5 and FBA. And it’s true, that would be mayhem. Some people are going to be mad because I mentioned TC5 and FBA ahead of *insert top crew here*
By deo 2012/08/31 - 04:01
Im surprised there is no mention of serve fba on here
By rob 2012/09/01 - 09:04
actually, that surprises me too. serve is soooooooooper good.
By Zef 2009/08/16 - 23:09
Er….SHOK1 !!!!! How can you talk about style and not mention him
http://www.artofthestate.co.uk/graffiti/shok1-graffiti-leake-street-cans-tunnel.htm
By Chris 2009/08/27 - 01:55
10 UTAH MUL
9 IZ THE WIK
8 Seak
7 Totem
6 SCIEN 123K
5 COPE 2
4 Saber AWR
3 Smash 137
2 Heist RA (RIP)
1 Ether MUL
By TFP BYB 2009/09/14 - 14:01
Also i think your forgetting histories writers who were known to do outsides but whom were famous for their insides too even if most inside writers never got the type of credit they deserved when in reality these guys were on fire and were definitely a force of their own..
Snake
Dean
Roto
Smoke
Dondi
Ses
Rasta
Revolt
Fuzz
Tean
Zephyr
Wasp
Ban2
Min
Strike
Shy147
By rob 2009/09/14 - 14:11
Great list.
For my part, I didn’t really “forget” anyone. I just had to choose 10, so obviously some people were going to get left out.
By sonny 107 2013/10/07 - 03:46
Yes people will be left out…
By Antonio alvarez 2011/12/10 - 02:54
Don’t forget Tony 164…..
By MED 2012/06/04 - 04:09
I’m going to agree with this list and everything you said except that I will differ in saying that out of all the graffiti writers across the boroughs (Both Inside and Outside) SES has to be without a doubt perhaps the best out there as far as inside hand-styles go.
At his prime this guy did tags which flat out outclassed even predecessor’s such as DEAN, JESTER, COMET and BLADE as well as many of the past’s greats while doing in kind the same to even more modern contemporaries like SEEN, DONDI, BAN2, and others out there with a hand-style that was simply unrivaled and of a class of its own.
Now I cannot claim the same of his outsides although he was able to piece from whats been seen out there – but SES’s handstyle literally blows away many other handstyles as I have seen STRIKE, MIN, SARO, SNAKE, SMOKE, MITCH, LEE and well the list goes on and on, mind you the list includes some of the greatest heads from before SES’s era as well as during his era but the thing is the guy just has this kind of whipping, wicked or even devllish sort of handstyle that even the cream of crop including the who’s who of the outside artists either before or during his timespan were given a rude handstyle awakening and one helluva a reality check.. histories history and it actually happened.
The best I’ve seen out there are the usuals such as DONDI, KEL, CRASH, LEE, SEEN, BAN2, the TLPs, TMTs, and other crews or writers all whom were really pretty good with their own unique handstyles and all which were great in their own right so in essence these names we know will always carry great presence as its history period but with the same token none of those names past or present until graffiti’s subway demise can claim to have impacted handstyling to the degree that SES did who’s stuff truly trascended across the “Eras” and boundaries both past and present while effectively or literally surpassing the handstyling genre on the whole which is where the distinction or real difference is and for this reason alone I would have to say that not is “SES” a very under rated graffiti writer but considering what he brought to graffiti and how he did it in general I would say the guys on the TOP of the who’s who as far actual handstyles go.
Not really a “SES” fanboy or any other known-name’s fanboy and even if most disagree or even refuse to own up to it someones gotta say it as the guy was literally a shadow that came and went almost out of nowhere but one who made a difference by genuinely redefining the art of handstyling and he just might very well be the actual king of handstyles throughout the “Entire Subway Era” which makes the guy all that much more of an under rated or unsung artist so got to give it to him as thats definitely the mark of a pioneer like so many before or perhaps after his time frame.
Take it or leave it.. just callin it.
By z40 2009/09/29 - 18:45
man i guess…i only consider a master someone with true skill what is true skill? 1.YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO DRAW/DRAFT PRO LIKE A PRODIGY 2.YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT MAKES STYLE AND BALANCE. 3.CAN CONTROL the only guy you listed i think is close to master level is daim. the others are really good too just not masters like delta, bates and ces are the other dudes i like on the list…revok is good but im not a fan of nick-nack styles. MY LIST WOULD BE MORE LIKE : MADC, DARE, GES, TOTEM, DOES, DAIM, SEW, PLAGUE1, SANE2, COPE2, LABRAT, ect..
By Dawn BX 2009/10/01 - 08:47
I feel top ten:
Seen
Dase
Crash
Lee
Mitch 77
Daim
BG183
Revok
Phase2
Part2
By edwardo serrano 2011/10/17 - 00:16
i went to school with a dude named part2. im wondering if its the same cat. we went to new york school of printing on 49th street between 9th and 10th ave.
By Antonio alvarez 2011/12/10 - 03:00
My top ten…dondi…seen…iz the wiz …crash….mitch77….delta…..revok…..Tkid170….Mack tat….cope2….
By DaMB 2009/10/15 - 17:44
One of the most artistic, talented, versatile writers i believe to be is DAMB. dude is sick. Trust me!
By rob 2009/10/16 - 07:05
got flicks?
By Eazy83.IA.EDA 2009/10/18 - 17:05
Def some good picks, Revok(I say hes number one because he has been relevant for a long period of time), Daim, Ces and Dream(I could support that one all day).
But come on you have to put Seen. He did it all. Him and Can 2 are your classic graffiti style at its best.
And I saw Twist mentioned. He has/had the tightest hands ever. And coming from where you come from, hands are priority. I dont know if hes top ten but I would prob put him there
And Im not the biggest Totem fan but I cant front on him either.
My Top Ten, Not necessarily in order.
Seen
Can Two
Daim
Totem
Revok
Dream TDK
Cope2
Ces
Dondi
Rime Msk
Smash 137 is my favorite writer right now, but I havent heard of him for that long
By rob 2009/10/18 - 17:14
Eazy, dope commentary. Glad to see you on here.
TWIST is the shit. Clearly. Incredible hand styles and he’s proved to be incredibly influential over the years.
SEEN is definitely the shit. So is CAN2.
TOTEM, is super influential. I can’t front on him, either.
RIME is fucking insanely good.
By JP 2011/01/22 - 08:51
just throwing out two names that comes to mind when i think of top 10 that hasnt been mentioned SENTO TFP and SP.ONE
By Antonio alvarez 2011/12/10 - 03:02
And Tony164
By 2 Cool 2009/10/31 - 10:49
I know if there is a graffiti battle in the world. There is one or two group that as a chance to win. My first choice will be,
1) TAT CRU
2) MSK
3) FX
4) TNB
5) KD
Winner someone in TAT CRU:
BG183, BIO, NICER, HOW, NOSM or SEN2
By rob 2009/10/31 - 11:27
Top Artistic Talents!
By Antonio alvarez 2011/12/10 - 02:56
Yea I agree
By DOCTC5 2009/11/06 - 04:00
Top style kings of al time… first level.
1.Phase2
2. Riff 170
3. Billy 167
4. Tracy 168
5. Pel
6. Part 1
7. Chain 3
8. Kool 131
9. Noc 167
10. Slave
11. Dondi
12. Case 2
13. Butch 2
14. T-Kid
By Antonio alvarez 2011/12/10 - 03:04
Add tony164 to that list and it’s complete….I agree
By DOCTC5 2009/11/06 - 05:05
Top style Kings second generation
1. Seen (Tc5)
2. Doze
3. Skeme
4. Dez
5. Kel
6. Daze
7. Magoo2
8. Web
9. Baby168
10. Tack
11. Mitch 77
12. Duster
13. Cos 207
and if you feel like adding me
By 2 Cool 2009/11/12 - 11:18
To Doctc5
I like your list of first and second
generation. Now i want to know the third
generation list.
Peace
2 Cool
By rob 2009/11/12 - 11:29
yeah, plus one on that suggestion. I’d love to see DOC’s third, fourth generation lists too.
By ChaiN 3 TMT 2009/12/04 - 10:52
Phase 2 Butch 2 Kade 198
Riff 170 Me who else…Dondi
Bic 149 Part one Phade
Billy 167 Kool 131 Magoo
Checker 170 Noc 167 SEEN (W)
Tracy168 Kase 2 Sonic
Mr Pug Doo 2 Don 1
Bot 707 Krome 100 Dez
Pel one LEE Chino malo
Peso131 Padre dos Skeme
reserves:
Cost one
Chi CHi 133
By rob 2009/12/04 - 10:59
I got style masters piping in left and right here.
That’s the shit.
By LAUNCHIN 2009/12/14 - 03:40
tloks or detr
totem2 or dytch66
revok or ewok
nace or dream
natrl or chez
retna or reyes
daim or craola
sub or ces
siner or tank
kofie or scribe
By chain 3 tmt 2009/12/21 - 16:54
You really can’t because you have to start with the best of different eras:
Phase 2
Riff 170
Bic 149
Pel one
Billy 167
Tracy 168
Mr pug 2
Butch 2
Peso 131
Doo 2
Thatz the true first GEN…
you can argue….
Cost/ Palo one
chi-chi 133
P-Nut 2
checker 170
sonny 107
P-Hase 168
Bot 707
Hydra 1
Mr.Jinx 174
Te 163d!
Krome100
If I forgot…I’m old…1
By jacob reyes 2010/03/08 - 11:24
thats what i’m talking about,,,alot of people forgot about sonny 107 i’m glad my father still has some love in the streets
By sonny 107 2013/10/07 - 03:53
I love you son for fighting my battle in my absence!
By jacob reyes 2013/10/27 - 18:43
Love you too pop,
By chain 3 tmt 2009/12/21 - 17:07
Second GEN
Me of course!
Kool 131
Part one
Padre Dos
Lee
Nic 707
Sid 149
Kase 2
Anthony 101
Noc167
You can argue:
Slave
Magoo 2
SMILY 149
Rid one
Slave
Panic 1
Puma 107
Rasp 1
Defie 1
Prof.2.165
game 5
OZ 109
jean13
By Ness790 2015/02/13 - 17:29
Don’t ever forget the 1UP crew, they’re known world wide.
By chain 3 tmt 2009/12/21 - 17:21
3rd GEN…
Mitch 77
Kade 198
Phade
SEK170
SEEN/w
Kel 1
Stan 1
Dez
Skeme
T-kid170
You can Argue…
Seen/B
shame125
Airborne
Tack
Magoo (the other)
By chain 3 tmt 2009/12/21 - 17:26
I forgot: STAN 153, Scar 36, AJ 161
and Rasta and Dondi My Bad!
By sonny 107 2013/10/29 - 12:42
Yes, STAND 153 and also CLIFF 159
By chain 3 tmt 2009/12/21 - 17:43
the fourth gen you have to figure out because this spreads across the world
Brim 1
Gizmo 1
Ces 1
WEB
DOC
Cav
Sien 5
Bates
Loomit
Daim
Big Arguements:
Cope
Clark
Muse
Per
A one
How / nosm
Bio
CEN
NICER
KEY
Damb… Sonic (2 gen) is gonna kill me!
Themo
Acet
Search
The 5th is on you…too many this is style…we can do throw-up masters later…1
By rob 2009/12/21 - 23:46
thanks man. That’s a great knowledge bomb right there. I’d love to take a couple of days to put together examples of all your choices.
By chain 3 tmt 2009/12/22 - 16:47
Were talking style…
There are the ones with style and the ones who changed the rules of the game…
I forgot STEM (4 Gen)
Lask (4)
BABY 168 (3 Gen)
SEX, WIE (5 GEN)
EASE (4 GEN)
CAMP (4 GEN)
PASE (4 GEN)
Jester one changed the rules W/bubble style…1
By rob 2009/12/22 - 17:12
By B.One 2009/12/24 - 22:14
Interesting picks. I could also think of alot of others. Top 10 is a hard hard thing to choose, for sure.
I understand that we are primarily talking about wildstyle lettering.
But a “Graffiti…Writer”…or a practioner of lettering/ typography etc…
I would add Chaz Bojorquez.
Although he did NOT “invent” cholo writing in LA,
He certainly influenced ALOT of other people with his evolved style which pulls from traditional East LA hood styles, as well as chinese calligraphy and other forms of calligraphy and world wide forms of writing.
He’s influenced cholos/homeboys to bangers…to the average west coast writer/street bomber, tattoo artist…to the skilled artist, such as people like REVOK and RETNA…etc.
That is only my opinion. I know many dont agree that “gang” or cholo/hood writing doesnt count…
But it all comes from the same place….
…The Streets
By rob 2009/12/25 - 10:03
great name. nothing but respect from over here on the east coast.
By chain 3 tmt 2009/12/27 - 18:05
Yes, Cholo Writing is a part of what we do!
It showed the expansion of where our art is flowing to as well as the bending computer styles of Europe.
Itz another part of a Style trackers
life to know these things remember each
state has a different style. Someone always adds an element that keeps this art going…1
By what? 2010/01/07 - 14:56
what about SENTO.???????????????’
regconize!
By rob 2010/01/07 - 15:08
SENTO is the shit. Super duper fresh.
By ChaiN 3 TMT 2010/01/07 - 23:18
SENTO…Is a Kase 2 student…My Bad…1
By what? 2010/01/08 - 07:13
everybody is a student of somebody.even chain 3,i think.Sento is the bomb,past,present and future.
By chain 3 tmt 2010/01/15 - 19:07
There is a difference… I didn’t have a wing to cover me…I was self taught…
we tend to forget…I came up through
ranks! The Rank closed after the mid-80’s were Style took a turn to the World
0f computers and bold characters and reality. respect for knowing who is the true King is gone…Who is a true King Now? You have artist which is good but
Who stands out to be number one?
Now you have claim to be kingz lol…1
By what? 2010/01/18 - 10:19
the rank were closed before chain3 .riff 170,phase2..u know that hundrends of times better than me chain!and of course i guess u had wings to cover you….
anyway u did that for how long?5,7 maybe 10 years?keep talkin about what u did as a kid.
Sento is still doin it,and thats the main difference.
By chain 3 tmt 2010/01/21 - 19:00
I see the toy department still exsist…
By Ron 2010/02/09 - 01:43
Ayeeee dream that guy went to my highschool, some kids from the highschool tagged a wall at the highschool he went to in memory of dream
By Soem2 2010/03/04 - 22:00
Totem should be in there. So clean. Tyke’s Witness as well
By Soem2 2010/03/04 - 22:00
Correction : Tyke Witness. Damn you english class
By jacob reyes 2010/03/08 - 11:28
my father sonny 107 was sick wit it…all he talked about was how much he loved to write,tag burn, and bomb,,,but it seems like the graffiti world forgot about him,,,except for a few loyal friends of his,, thanks tracy 168, pnut, and the rest of the whole crew that kept my fathers name alive..
By jacob 2010/03/08 - 13:01
sonny 107 is my dad if anybody knows were i can find some of his stuff please email me jacobreyes1@hotmail.com
By chinomalo 2010/09/23 - 20:04
DID YOUR DAD GO TO HIGH SCHOOL OF ART N DESIGN? I KNEW A SONNY WHO WROTE THIS NAME BACK IN SCHOOL
By jean13byb 2011/12/04 - 13:52
i remember him,i was just a little twerp back then and he was one of the big guys that used to show me the ropes.
By chichi133 2011/01/14 - 20:40
YOur dad was my partner. Tracy has my pictures, in the bunch are some that Sonny and I did. Regards to Sonny!
By dansemy 2010/03/14 - 13:54
Damn dude some real legends chiming in here. I’m gonna add Part 1, Min, Quik and Poem to my earlier input. Skeme too. That guy couldn’t not be fresh if he tried.
By pepe bfk crew. 2010/03/18 - 16:24
man im hyped about seeing every bodys list we can go on all day about top 10 every bodys has got different taste in graffiti i for one prefer the grimmie graff pieces that are done from a bombers point of view but still styling. heres my top weber,magoo2, by168,wane,dondi,arab,nace,rime,seen&duster ua, lee tf5.
By Michael Ferrier 2010/04/13 - 15:08
Hey Im a kid from Canada and there are two writers Id like to mention as personal favorites for the best of all time list.
1. “Stare NME” for just ridiculous detail in all his pieces and close to perfection in his execution
2. “Horfe” from Paris just because he is an extremely relevant writer in the European scene and a revolutionary in the bombing scene of paris
By SE LEN TOPIC 2010/04/17 - 18:54
This will always be a hard one to narrow down to only 10 but nevertheless, the list is def competitive. Revok out from the West coast is absolutely burnin shit. The Vulcan burners fm the 80s still take out many of todays writers. It used to be about style, nows its just about guns and violence. 11-20 should def include CHAD, GHOST, BIO, NICER etc.
SE LEN TOPIC
A QUEENSTORY … 1983 Y’ALL!
By MG 2010/05/05 - 01:23
I can’t believe how people keep on pushing cope2, at piecing he’s mediocre at best. Although his throw ups are top 10 material, I’ll give him that. Saber or that other guyrevok are you fucking kidding me and Volcan was probably the worst famous writer of his generation. But I guess It’s all a matter of taste.
Top 5
1 Noc 167
2 Duster
3 Tack
4 Tkid
5 Dondi
Just my opinion
By falk 2010/05/11 - 05:45
A list of top ten graffitti writers…I think it´s not in the sense of this culture! Sure, this writers you mentioned are kings, and known all over the world, but graffitti is not a football worldcup, and its not about to get a cup at the end. But nice to see all this different lists here! An important part of Graffitti is “to do it” and to say “I am”, still an important message when you live in a city!
By rob 2010/05/11 - 07:38
Hey falk,
As I mention in the article, this isn’t THE top ten, it’s A top ten., which means it’s not supposed to be read as a league table. You’re reading a lot into this article if you think I’m trying to imply that or that there’s a “winner” to be picked.
That said, if you don’t think that graffiti IS competitive, then we’ve got radically different ideas about the nature of the thing.
By falk 2010/05/11 - 07:56
yes!… who doesn´t like to make a burner!? Got the idea of it, your subjective list! I like them as well!
cheers
By mare1 2010/06/12 - 05:21
Ayy cope2.ket.chino.ja.dare.metro.mare1.saber.can2.ameks are the top ten best
By nonstop 2011/12/23 - 01:30
yo .. mare 139?? otherwise i cant really take you seriously..
PS i fucking love this thread and everyone’s input. good shit!
By AweoNe 2010/06/27 - 10:29
write in google nemone graffitis you see the best writter in the world he is from a little country called bosnia he has his own style and i don t belive bates can this copy
By rob 2010/06/27 - 17:28
He’s got really nice work:
By TheParadigmShift 2010/07/29 - 14:21
01 – DAIM
02 – VIRUS (AA CREW)
03 – El Mac
04 – MaCLAIM
05 – BANKSY
06 – EMIT
07 – DARE (RIP)
08 – DREAM (TDK, RIP)
09 – SEAK
10 – ZODAK
By Juse FUA 2010/07/29 - 23:35
Great list… and a lot of history. I would definitely add Ewok 5mh, Dare, Erni, Nace, Lady Pink and Totem2… and we could go on from there. Much respect to the originators of this culture. These days, there are hundreds of thousands of writers out there, and I’m happy to see that the pioneers (whether they made the list here or in the comments) are getting their props.
Of course, in order for the culture to continue, somebody has to carry the torch. So…how about a top 10 of some new school heads that are going to take graff into the next 40 or 50 years? Any takers?
By Juse FUA 2010/07/29 - 23:44
A few more names that must be mentioned… Eaz One, Mear, El Mac, Ske and Rek for sure.
By Frame DTK (Los Angeles) 2010/08/02 - 10:36
Wow Rob,
Im sure you knew the can of worms you were opening when you decided to list YOUR Top 10 Graffiti Style Masters and a great list it is!
Im in NYC right now visiting for the 100th time and always have a great time here. Every time I come out I seem to always meet and learn new things about the culture I’m a part of.
I think Doc TC5 had the idea that best can describe who were/are the “style masters” of their era.
That being said Im gonna chime in and give MY Top 10 list of graffiti writers who’s work has influenced me and have put in work to move the graffiti culture forward… This list is in no particular order and I am from the West Coast.
Dream SMD (Los Angeles) and Dream TDK (Oakland) –
These two I think were twins from different city’s. Though Dream SMD got most of his outlines on paper from Green SMD, Dream executed them on the wall flawlessly. Dream TDK loved graffiti and lived it to the fullest.
Charlie DTK (Los Angeles) – This guy studied graffiti styles and bombed with pieces day and night. Loved by many on both coasts.
Erni aka Party Paze (NYC) – I was there when he painted the FIRST 3d style piece before ANYONE. Everything Erni does has flare, control, and colorful. This guy is flawless.
Sento TFP (NYC) – In my book Sento is a true Graffiti Writer/Bomber. His style was inventive and fun!
Ghost RIS (NYC) – as serious has this guy is it trips me out how playful and loose his work is. He paints and paints and paints while others are sleeping.
Web KAOS (NYC) – Talk about style, this guy bleeds it! Web has always been one of my all time favs who is still doing it!
Pose MSK (Chicago) – If you dont know who this guy’s work then you are missing out on what I can only describe as “eye candy”! Pose kills it every time!
note: Pose 2 from Philly is no joke either! Pose 2 can hang with anyone on this list for sure!
Revok MSK (Los Angeles) – You can call this guy anything you want… Revok no doubt has set the graffiti world on fire and has EARNED his fame worldwide! I’ve watched a lot of people paint from both coasts and then some but very few people has achieved what Revok has done! Relentless in his efforts this guy is gifted and deserves to be on anyone’s list!
Ces (NYC) – another world traveler and master of the letter from the Bronx! If this guy isn’t inking at Tuff Cit he’s painting, and if he isn’t painting he’s drawing. This guy does it 24/7.
Reas Aok (NYC) – Talk about having fun and style at the same time! Reas was so innovative and colorful with letters that come alive upon contact with a surface.
Its hard to come up with just 10 writers…
I’ve met so many incredible writers and have had to have them share stories, photos, and bless me with pieces in my black books has been a pleasure.
I’ve painted with and watched these guys paint many times and I am always amazed!
Now before anyone goes off shooting me and my list down and gets their panties in a bunch… remember this is my list. Just post yours and have fun remembering the great times like I just did!
Thanks Rob for posting your opinion and getting others to participate!
Now I gotta go meet Cope2 to go paint… see ya and PEACE OUT!
By rob 2010/08/02 - 11:00
FRAME,
Thank you. That’s a great list, full of the kind of insight I love to hear. I’m glad to see we had some crossover, too.
ERNI is a guy that deserves more props. I don’t know how much people really know about him. I mean, people who known know, but the average kid coming up? I don’t think they know where all that 3d stuff really came from.
WEB is another one I definitely appreciate. There’s a clarity to his styles that’s hard to emulate.
Peace…
By Mes-Boston(T) 2010/08/02 - 13:21
Supprised to see Part TDS name mentioned only a few times.
Chain3 said it best I.m.o.
FYI.. Rob is an old school Boston writer and good guy! Bustin’ styles beyond….. Still!
P
By high risks 2010/09/06 - 14:03
All I got to say this planet earth is graffiti for me much luv too all writer’s.Texas graff something too see peace out here from San Antonio Texas. …….
By Cruze UTK 2010/09/21 - 05:59
my Top7:
Dare TWS (Switzerland)
Dondi CIA (USA)
Bando TCA (Paris)
Dream TWS (Switzerland)
Smash137 GTK (Switzerland)
Swet TWS (Denmark)
Won ABC (Germany)
By rob 2010/09/21 - 07:17
No complaints on that list.
By robismzoe 2010/09/21 - 18:56
Case/Kase
By TERROR 161 2010/10/12 - 20:43
This is the list since the beginning:
Phase 2
Riff 170
Billy 167
Pel
Flint 707
Tear 2
Nic 707
Noc167
Part
Chain 3
Kool 131
T.Kid 170
Padre 2
Duster UA
Dondi
Rasta RTW
Slave
Skeme
Repel
Don 1
Peso 131
Pnut 2
Cost Palo
Staff 161
Take 5
Derby
Anthony 101
Victor 161
Butch 2
Kase 2
Doo 2
Comet1
Silver Tips
Kel 139
Cos 207
Checker 170
JIVE 3
Can’t limit the list to just ten names.
By Real Deal 2010/10/25 - 19:32
Blade Comet Dondi Mitch77 Disco Ban2 Slip3 Colt SnoMan PA Smiley149 Ted Dez Skeme Soonone from Los Angels he’s the one who made LA graffiti art what it is today and his style was insane !
By Spectator 2010/11/26 - 18:12
What about can2 what about Seen ? I mean Seen he is a legend …
By silentbutdeadly 2010/12/06 - 13:55
The topic is stylemasters.
Even though you might like a writers style a lot,that does not make him a stylemaster.
On The Real
PHASE2
Jean13
Riff170
Mitch 77
Dez
Sab
Duster
Vulcan
Kel
Checker 170
Slave
Kase
Dome
Sento
By l.a doc man 2010/12/17 - 17:18
YO CAN SOMEONE MENTION PART ONE TDS.CHARLIE(L.A)DTK GOT HIS STYLE FROM STUDYING, FRAME?ANY ONE IN NYC WOULD SAY HE STOLED FROM A LOT OF NYC WRITERS B4 INTERNET MADE IT EASY TO SEE…REVOKE IS WHAT YOU CALL EVERYTHING WAS DONE BEFORE AND YOUR RECYCLING
By LuckyBunnyHoney 2011/02/06 - 03:38
Hawaiian King Caleb AERO
By FRANKIERID 2011/02/13 - 14:05
BEING BORN AND RAISED IN N.Y.C. I FEEL THAT WE NEVER GET OUR RECOGNITION AS THE STANDARD SETTER IN GRAFFITI, WHEN IN REALITY IT’S N.Y.C. WHO EVERY STATE, AND EVERY OTHER COUNTRY DUPLICATES OR WANTS TO BE LIKE. WE ( N.Y.C. ) ARE THE TREND SETTER IN MOST THINGS POP CULTER, WHETHER IT BE DANCING, MUSIC, AND THE ARTS. WE SET THE BAR, WE REMOVE THE LIMITS IN EVERY THING, YES WE N.Y.C.
NOW AS FOR THE TOP TEN I THINK THERE IS NO SUCH THING, 98 PERCENT AND OF THE WRITERS YOU ALL MENTION ARE AMAZING AND TRULY TALENTED, NOW THE OTHER 2 PERCENT ARE ONLY MENTION BECAUSE OF THE CREW THEY ARE AFFILIATED WITH, AND ALSO BECAUSE THEY WERE SMART ENOUGH TO MAKE A LIVING OUT OF IT, WHICH THEY DID SUCCESSFULLY, AND SHOULD NOT TAKE THAT AWAY FROM THEM, BUT PLEASE DONT CLASSIFIDE THAT TWO PERCENT AS TALENTED, AND A GREAT GRAFFITI ARTIST.
NOW I SEE THAT A LOT OF THE OLD TIMERS ( pioneers ) WAS MENTION, BUT IT SEEMS THAT TOP CREW WAS NOT, THEY ALSO ARE LEGEND, HURST, JAMES, DIKE, FLINT, SID, DURO, VINNY, AND SO ON, SO LETS NOT TAKE ANYTHING AWAY FROM THOSE PIONEERS.
NOW SWICHING GEARS, BACK IN THE LATE 70s EARLY 80s THERE WAS A WRITER ‘UN ONE ‘ FROM WILIAMSBURG BROOKLYN WHO DID AMAZING HANDBALL COURTS IN THAT AREA, IF THERE EVER WAS A WRITER WHO WOULD HAVE GIVEN LEE A RUN FOR HIS MONEY ON HANDBALL COURTS, IT WOULD BE ‘ UN ONE ‘ IT’S SAD THAT ANYTHING WRITTEN ABOUT GRAFFITI DO NOT MENTION HIM. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE PHOTOS OF THOSE HANDBALL COURTS. DONT KNOW WHAT EVER BECAME OF HIM, BUT THAT GUY TRUE TALENT, HE GETS MY VOTE IN ANY TOP TEN LIST.
SO FOR ALL YOU WRITTERS OUT THERE STAY SAFE, AND GODSPEED
By FRANKIERID 2011/02/13 - 16:27
IT SEEMS LIKE NO ONE MENTION SONIC 002 FROM BAD CREW. THIS IS A WRITER THAT GOES BACK TO THE 70s AND IS STILL GOING. SONIC IS THE TYPE OF WRITER WITH HIS OWN UNIQUE STYLE. HE CHANGES HIS STYLE TO KEEP UP WITH MODERN STYLE, BUT ALWAYS KEPT IT UNIQUE. HE IS TRULY A ONE OF KIND WRITER THAT IS VERY RARE IN THE GRAFFITI WORLD. A WRITER WHO FOR SURE SHOULD MAKE ANY TOP TEN LIST IN ANY CATEGORY. BAR NONE.
By Ness790 2015/02/13 - 17:31
Don’t forget the 1UP crew from Berlin.
By eyo! 2011/03/28 - 13:25
one of the best graffiti writers now a days HORFE! I think that he have the best hand writing of the world
great vandal!
By rawdog 2011/03/29 - 15:20
This is far from being a stylemaster.
By kai 2013/06/12 - 23:17
I agree pure shit, “he have the best handwriting of the world” ok mate whatever
By Gate Keeper 2011/03/31 - 15:09
FLINT707 was The @#$%$ HUGE MONSTER, Towering above alot of these guys, If you seen his work, it made you just Freaking sweat, Pop.
Lets get real folks, Terror 161 and Tracy 168 were on point.
“Chief of Staff” Stylemaster Generals
By CrashOne 2011/04/13 - 18:16
Great list, but you missed out with Bio Tatscru…
I love Doc, but his style is based on Dondi’s work.
…I guess that’s the fun part of making lists, we agree
C. to
disagree..
By rob 2011/04/13 - 21:04
BIO gets a lot of love around here. No doubt about it. I remember when we first started seeing flicks of his work up in Boston and it was like a revelation, for certain. Of course, I could practically include all of TATS and not have a problem with that.
As for DOC… yeah, it’s an extension of what DONDI did, but for me that’s exactly what I’m reacting to with his work- perfection and refinement built on top of what I consider the greatest style of all time.
By tom okeefe 2011/04/13 - 23:16
Hey Rob I love how this post blew up. Even though I didn’t say much when I posted on this thread back in 08 I do think Erni should of been listed only for the fact that Daim and Delta that is listed above wouldn’t even be there if it wasn’t for Erni. Everyone else is on point.
-Target
If Motha Only Knew!!!
By rob 2011/04/14 - 08:35
Yeah, ERNI is fresh and is a pioneer, but that’s not really the point of the post. Just because ERNI was first doesn’t mean I have to discount either DAIM or DELTA. DELTA especially took the 3d stuff to new levels, just crazy stuff. So even though it all flowed from the work ERNI did, it went to places that I liked more aesthetically with both of these cats.
By tom okeefe 2011/04/25 - 14:04
agreed. I think it’s just that I always feel he’s over looked but totally agree it’s not the point of your post. Both DAIM & DELTA bring a different take on it and made it their own and blew it up. 🙂
By BTWICE Flatbush,Crooklyn 2011/06/16 - 12:54
EAST COAST FOUNDING STYLEMASTERS:
THE MAYOR SEEN ONE (early 1980 South Bronx trains)
PHASE 2 (critical mass styles)
ERNI (letter angles and tags)
SKEME (color combos, simples and attitude)
BRIM & BIO (colabs and styles)
WEST (styles and colors)
REVOLT & ZEPHYR (spunk, volume and tags)
DOZE (characters and stupidity)
WEST COAST FOUNDING STYLEMASTERS:
SOON & CRAZE (playground painting away from home)
HEX & SKILL (tearing shit up with characters and letters)
BLINKY & GREMS (loose Dr. Zues type graff)
CRAYONE & ESTRIA (newwave shit)
RISK & SLICK (simple styles and colors)
These were the heads that fought the Nazi’s and the Japs from coast to coast in America. Period.
By Zeverino Ramirez Eastlos-Vato 2011/06/16 - 14:01
Los Angeles Pachuco Placazos and Gangster Cholo letras were not originated from New York graffiti, Chain 3 esta pendejo! Way before Chaz Bojourks… Borjerkous or whatever his name is, was schooled by the chinito, there were hundreds of not thousands of homeboys who got clean letter styles on walls, handball courts and prison cartas since the suitzoot days. 1940’s to today. Only youngsters will believe that Chaz or Chain started it. La Raza y Cultura writing goes as far back as the Olmecs, Mayas and Aztecas. Top 10 or Top Cien.
By Melissa 2011/06/16 - 14:17
LADY PINK
TRIBE
BLUE
SHEM
OOPS
LADY TRACEE
BAMBI
CLAW
EROTICA
LADY XIO
FEMALES RULE THE WORLD.
By sonny 107 2013/10/29 - 14:22
Barbra 62. Eva 62. She.
Crazy Girl 177. Charmin 65.
Bug 170. Can’t forget them!
By BASE NTSK 2011/06/16 - 16:13
HEX TGO and SKILL UTI rocked the L.A.old school scene representing the South Side!
By Osi 2011/06/22 - 15:35
My friend bit off of the 1st bates pic and brung it to school non colored and i saw his and i called him and he denied it totaly, i cant respect his work anymore
By M80 dvc 2011/07/04 - 22:43
Hex TGO is legendary! He was the greatest inspiration in the west coast scene. Zephyr in the east.
By A voice of reason 2011/08/23 - 12:08
Speaking for New York only! Forgive a brotha for being blunt here but if one was to base a writer on more than just his/her accomplishments of writing on a train or wall, a lot of the names which appear on these list will simply vanish and settle into Graf’s history where they clearly belong! Especially when it comes to certain writers who obviously have not progressed with the times. In my opinion if you are not progressing, you have no place on a Top 10 list especially a current one… Period!
By Ace 2011/08/23 - 12:53
I totally agree with voice of reason, there are a few names which should be there which aren’t, I mean if you’re going to try to compile a Top 10 list for New York you have to go by more than just what someone once did, you had a list I believe for that but as for today writers like Chain3, Seen TC5, Doc TC5 clearly do not belong sorry fellas but thats life. If you’re going to compose a list you use sources like Facebook and Twitter which as we all know people who are important we follow, its just life, when it comes to Facebook I’m not referring to Regular pages but Fan Pages because everyone knows its easy to add friends by the thousands on a regular page but committing someone to being a Fan is not that easy! If it were writers like Chain3, DocTC5, and all the rest would have done so to show just how important they believe they are to GRAF! No disrespect fellas but it is what it is.
By TRUTH STANDS 2011/08/26 - 12:13
If “voice of treason”‘s reasoning is right, then this then means Vaughn and Mark Bode are washed-up toothless has-beens, Phase2 is a balding, worthless senior citizen and Lady Pink is a pruny-breasted used up baglady! WHAT TRUE WRITERS AND ARTISTS HAVE ACCOMPLISHED IS SETTLED AND HONORED BEYOND THE CURRENT TRENDS AND EVOLUTIONARY FADS AND PHASES! “Voice of Treason” and “DissgrACE” are typical minded Feeble Facebook Frolics. There are Graff Writers that have accomplished LEGENDARY status and this will never be erased. The “Modern Masters” have everything to owe and honor to those that inspired and uplifted the entire moevement. REVOK, RETNA and RIME should never think themselves better than the oldschool. They were in soiled diapers when others were bombin, battling, kinging and escaping jailtime for their platform. The same goes everywhere. MAD C, CLAWS, and LADY TRIBE owe the greatest honor and respect to those pioneering Graffiti Grandmothers that breastfed them as their mentors.
By Zenith 1 2011/08/26 - 12:16
True That!
By «@©€®³°³ RNA 2011/09/03 - 12:35
Can I get a COOL “DISCO” DAN for sheer volume & longevity in our nation’s capital?….and what about U.S. freights? ICHABOD, JASE, SIGH & all the others in the 1000+ club…lotta lak on CSX lines these days my brothers & sistas… and dem badboys TRAVEL!.. If I’m gettin this whole artform correctly…and all you moldy oldy cats can back me up on this one or correct me if I’m wrong…its about sending your STYLE down the line and waiting for it to come back with it taken to the next level so you, as a writer, can do the same and send it right back..and so on and so on til the breaka dawn…
ffwd 40 years.
Lotta STYLES been down the line and back..GLOBALLY (thank you interwebs)so a top 10 all time is like beating your head against the wall (pun intended.) From my corner of the free world aka B-More, it’s thanks to the likes of REVOLT, RASTA, TRON, PLAD, CUBA, AMUCK, STAB, EVER, DILLINGER, & ZEZ, that MY city has been active non-stop since ’79.
Y’all moldies (nutn but love f’real) know RASTA, REVOLT & TRON..so my (1st Gen) top 10 lends itself to influence & longevity FROM MY POINT OF VIEW when all we had to see the rest of the world with was blackbooks and magazines like SCRIBBLE, CAN CONTROL, SKILLS & STRESS to name a few…damn I’m feelin a bit moldy for real!
next…EVER broke Richmond, PLAD broke Atlanta, CUBA broke San Fransisco and STAB & EVER are STILL doin it roun heah!
Not to mention(2nd gen) SHAKEN, MODE aka METASIN, DAVER, SUPA, CON, JAZI, DESTAR, JASE, FELON, AREK, WILD, SIEK, CYCLE, SMK, KIER, MESK, MASK, NAZE, RYKER aka WAKE, DAME, KERK aka SLER, AVON, ASHAR, REZ, ASK, SOPE, SAKE, SEEK, SEK, SCOPE, ULTRA, & CAR aka KAROCK. bam 32 flavors like Baskin Robbins…google dem shits.
And now hittin hard in stride (3rd Gen) ELI, MEAR, BAAL, VANDEL, DUSK, DUME, CEDA, SCUM, VOSE, CISE, PULSE aka JET, DUSK, SEIR, SOVIET, RIDE, APES, VERSE, AMEN, SETH, SOE2, PEAR, SUMO, RAMS, & CHE.
I KNOW I missed a bunch, sorry but I’m a victim of too many xylene dreams…
And to the new jax on the come up .. look around y’all, most if not ALL of the cats listed above are in one way or another STILL RUNNIN!
R.I.P (K)CASE2, IZ THE WIZ, DONDI WHITE, REZ, ASHAR & all the writers that only spray from the other side. STAY UP!
Thank You Mr. Larsen this thread is GOLDEN!!…IMOK UP!
~1
By «@©€®³°³ RNA 2011/09/03 - 12:38
For the record, that’s ZEK not ZEZ in the first list..sorry, rattled that rant off the dome and didn’t proof it DOH!
By TIMESEEKER 2011/09/08 - 23:44
MY TOP 10
1.KYOTOone
2.UPSET mta
3.AKER loe
4.CLAS4 loe
5.BOOST ctf
6.FIBER ctf
7.ZOUEH roller king.
8.SABER msk
9.RALOS ctf
10.ILLZ otr
By Ness790 2015/02/13 - 17:33
My top 1:
1 United Power aka 1UP.
By graff pops 2011/09/28 - 18:21
WERE IS EAZ-ONE CHEK HIM OUT HES DA BES
By graff pops 2011/09/28 - 18:23
he duz other stuf 2
By Graff Moms 2011/10/05 - 17:16
Graff pops it sounds as if you are none other than EAZ-ONE the only reason I say this is because you are way to eager to be anyone else! Besides in my opinion as well as most here EAZ-ONE did not pay his dues to the streets… Being a Legal Eagel does not get you to the Top 10 my friend!
By graff pops 2011/10/05 - 18:16
i ain’t eaz one but i do graffiti an i got respect for anybody that can write including Legal Eagels
By Tayke 2011/10/14 - 03:14
man you guys r so super privileged to live in parts of the world where graffiti is alive n out there… I dream of bein even half as good as these legends sum day but thats jst a dream.. Does anybody kno any significant African artists..
By Dew 2011/10/17 - 14:26
Vulcan all the way a visionary and the original style messiah
By Dew 2011/10/17 - 14:28
Oh yeah and FISTO from UK the legend
By TZ ONE 2011/10/18 - 09:59
The 70’s to myself I think were some good times , True artist were coming up,meeting at writers corners on every line.top to bottom full cars.and adding plurrels to the back of your name.Black, White P.R.,Getting along with each other,the Graffetti world was a nation of it’s own,the only thing that really brought war was going over someones hard work,that was about respect.I started out on e.n.y. with a writer called Stoney,and a writer called Dike.from there we all meet different people (writers and went diffent ways ) but always stayed in touch ,helped out ,so on,but as you get older and the streets get in your blood it rots out the good togetherness of the graffetti brotherhood.
so as bad as they say graffetti is,shit it was the best thing that kept some of us straight in line..and if guys that see this and remember TZ 1 , CS crazy soch. get in touch…
By SWIFT 2011/10/23 - 18:11
Hey your list is fine the way it is. but is this list for train writers or wall writers? you can’t put wall writers agains old school train writers. guys like DONDI,LEE,SEEN,SKEME, and All The rest of them had to do there style and get out. where Wall writers don’t have to warry about anyone comming and catching them. they can take there time and and do there best work… guy like DONDI would have to stand between 2 trains and do a top to bottom and make the letters perfectly even. he could not step back and check it out to make sure the letters are even from top to bottom. unlike any write that does walls….. i can name 10 writers that are great on the wall but if you had them go and do a train with the pressure of getting court and a time limit i don’t think their work would be as good…. all the top ten you picked are good and their styles are all dope!…
By Egolander 2012/01/25 - 20:00
Whuuuuuut..?
Why the heck has SWET not been mentioned yet?
His style is unique, the letters come in a flawless flow and his colors are always fresh.
By rob 2012/01/26 - 00:39
SWET is sooooooooper fresh. If I wrote this article on some other day, then he could have been included, without a doubt. Stylish as hell.
By anthony machicote 2012/02/13 - 11:42
Hey this is a kool site. just ran across it. I was checking out. By the way I am the original PEL do it well. Not PEL one. I know King2, Chichi, Tracy168, Peanut, Fuzz one, and all the rest of the crew. just wanted to say thanks for the guys a few years back for making one of the 10 best in my time. Now you new guys are off the chain. But also remember that when we were Painting we were under stressful conditions and crazy elements. We did not have the luxury of time and place. That would make a difference in how you painting comes out. Also When I painted I wanted people to know who did it and recognize my name and style. Lots of my style was bitten from Noc 167 who shared it with many others like the dondi’s from what I understand I could be wrong. Me I looked to Phase2 and Riff170 for style back then and did my own thing from there. But we made our lettering recognizable to all..Thanks again PEL do it well.
By NormSta 2012/03/12 - 14:15
forgot about rhyme Saber atlas ;/
By PHAROAH-KAHN 2012/05/02 - 08:50
PHASE 2 eastcoast HEX TGO westcoast
By MED 2012/06/04 - 12:04
Take Mitch77, Seen, Lee, Dondi, Duro, Strike, Min, Duster, Ban2, the best crews from TLP, TMT, RTW and throughout graffiti’s history then for good measure add in all of the oldtimers before them IZ, Chain, FDT, PNUT, JESTER, COMET, BLADE and so on and you’ll find all were great icons and pioneers now add SES into that equation who’s piecing was decent but not more so than most but when you change that dynamic and look at tagging handstyles not one of them across the boroughs let alone era’s had anything on SES who was the most influential and powerful handstyler that ever came out of the late 70’s era.
This guys tags and handstyle at its peak were flat out superior to everything else that was out there from the 70’s on up throughout the late 80’s pretty much speer-heading the cause of handstyling while doing it with a wicked, devilish or slashing type of handstyle that simply had rival or equal.
To make a long story short the guy did his own thing, but to come out on top for doing what the biggest names did to the outsides but instead by doing it to the insides by handstyling is no small legacy to set in stone which is something I think he earned like many others through sacrifice so just given credit were credits due because many great writers came out of Brooklyn and most somehow have always been very under rated yet truly shined and then some.
By MED 2012/06/04 - 15:07
The best outside artists I would say are more than likely Mitch77, Seen, Duster, Dondi, Revolt, Kel, Crash and a handful of others who were up truly earning their stars and stripes but whom were also hurt as hell although those mentioned here above were pretty much it as far as the best out there piecing wise.
As far as those before their time theres just too many too mention whom were great during their time but whom lets face it I doubt could compare to those above although they’re pioneers no less so credit as well where its due.
By North_Philly_Bomber 2012/06/05 - 10:14
TUK’s own BARK should be on this list
hes a philly writer
dude does crazy pieces
in my opinion hes the best piecer in the city
dudes sick man
look em up on 215graff.com
or any other philly graff site
By North_Philly_Bomber 2012/06/05 - 10:29
P.S
yall should make a bomber list to
im not discrediting piecers cuz i love lookin at pieces
but you kant 4get us bomberz
lolz jus a suggestion
By MED 2012/06/05 - 14:06
Well I’m betting everyones aware that Philly had their fair share of peepz who got down just that some are bit on the obscure side although more than likely heard of.
I mean look at the topic it started off as Big-Names or mostly so as far as train piecer’s but eventually some including myself decided to pay homage to others who were historically just as big in their own right whom although would piece along with the rest or best of them were very well known for tagging.. hell look at Rasta-Shasta, Conan, and a whole host of others as many contribute their blood and sweat
and hit just as hard becoming known for insides as well as representing the boroughs or areas they came from so I’d think Philly just as many other places had their fair share.
At one time it was all about the IRTs and the awesome pieces which lets face it were pretty hot but thats changed nowadays as many now recognize those across the boroughs which paid their dues or fought the same cause.. hell look at OE and PI3 the guys were everywhere so its history and nothing can change that which is what counts as we’re are talking train era I would think despite a few whose heart and work even still shines across even that genre.
By » Graffiti: Kunst oder Schmiererei? sketch full 2012/06/18 - 10:14
[…] Graffiti nicht möglich ist, da es verschiedene Formen des Graffiti gibt. Zu Beginn muss der professionelle Graffitikünstler vom Laien unterschieden werden. Der Künstler ist in der Lage wie ein Maler ein facettenreiches […]
By B 2012/07/04 - 09:14
In my opinion… Putting Delta and Daim in the same page is a mistake. Daim did it so good but he didn’t add anything to the 3D Delta concept.
By idee (EU) 2012/08/22 - 07:34
Wow! What a long thread! You can´t be suprised about these waves of responds. Since you included some non-american writers I would change SABE with BATES. Of course his work in total goes very much back to from where it all started, but – in my opinion – he took way more risks in his style works – not too mention the coloring of his pieces in the 80´s/90´s! I appreciate Bates-Works – still! But I believe with all this aspiration for perfection these days – regarding style “improvement” and technique -, I often miss real innovation and creation within the world of style writing. Maybe there are not as many “gaps” as during the 80´s /90´s – in my opinion the last period where ground shaking works happened. I hope you understand what I mean. These are open thoughts. I don´t mean to diss anybody. But the level of innovation has decreased, which might be simply natural within the evolution of any kind of (art) form.
By graffpost 2012/09/07 - 22:18
dumb list.
you can’t pick these ten and call them the best, when any of us can find 10 better artists.
especially dondi. he’s not the best of anything except being a pioneer, but that doesn’t make him the best. he’s awesome, but your run of the mill 10th grader is a better artist then he is.
By rob 2012/09/08 - 08:04
Did you read the first sentence of the post? For real, I’d take the criticism if I didn’t head it off in the first sentence of the post. “10 of the best” is different than “the 10 best” I’ll repeat it here since you’re too lazy to read one sentence and just scanned the list in order to leave a trolling comment:
Seriously, some of the best writers in the world end up on this thread commenting and having fun and you’re all “dumb post” and “dondi sucks.”
By kingtwo 2013/01/13 - 15:27
you fail drastically to mention first generation legend writer King2….
By rob 2013/01/13 - 17:34
I’m not sure what to tell you. There are thousands of people I didn’t mention.
By RD357 2016/04/01 - 08:49
Lace #357 KKone 357 Caya 357
By MISE156 2012/09/08 - 09:17
I think you chose a great list. There are so many dope style masters out there., I though Delta was random which made it cool. I was thinking more like SENTO and SERVE in there, but llike i said the debate, and Dondi amazing for his time and you can see his influence especially around my city.
By Targetttttto IMOK 2012/09/08 - 12:04
This list is Terrible, just terrible. I mean Arab? He’s one of the best? and Reas? How dare you put this list together. HAHA
I love this thread. Arab is one of my favorite and this is my favorite post on Drunkenfist.
-T
By Damian 2012/09/14 - 06:03
The bates are really good i have a friend that can do way better than some of those.
By ego 2012/10/18 - 23:42
“10 of the best graffiti writers….in the world” I can see why some have taken this to
heart. Me personally, growing up in NY late 70’s early 80’s,,,, this was OUR time OUR culture, Hip Hop, music, rap (not today rap) dancing, this is what we had to call OURS. it was like what one writer stated “about being up, having a style” that when someone see your tag or piece, throw up out there, they know who it is, you up, going all city. My list would be specific to my era and location, NY. I’ve read comments from home boys in LA that can take it back to the 40’s,, others abroad. There’s talent out there I never knew of. My brother was a graffiti writer, he was up. I had a lot of friends that were writer. Some close friends some from association and some of them should be on my list. I learned a lot from this post. I see this graffiti is world wide. I would’ve titled it different not to offend. Graffiti, Rap, Hip Hop saved my life. God Bless us all.
By ego 2012/10/19 - 10:49
@FRANKIERID__I remember UN ONE CWcrew (crazy writers) If my memory is still good, I think his throw up came out in the movie “the worriors” CW was all over Bushwick, NIF his brother EO (not the legendary OE) my good friend SOUL (Larry) all three resting in peace. I don’t know what ever happened to UN ONE, I always heard stories of him doing bids but never knew of him
By SNOW QM8 2012/10/22 - 06:58
DUSTER,TKID,SERVE,PHASE 2,LOOMIT,TACK,SKEME,DOZE,HEX,MODE 2
By Gescher 2012/11/14 - 12:29
I think the best graffiti writer must do everything Metro, Trains, highway etc. that must count more than hall of fame work
By CAKL 2012/12/30 - 05:17
MadC anyone?
By SED1 2013/02/03 - 08:52
Ayer Rip LA king sick letter stylization
By Rss 2013/05/18 - 10:52
All the writers mentioned are in the “bests” of rank. STRIDER BC is one of my favorites NYC transit era. RAMBO nyc Is a style master in his own right.
By Rob Larsen 2013/05/19 - 18:59
Strider is a weird case. I guess you just have to have grown up seeing his stuff, because, while I know the stories and the anecdotes, I don’t have a great sense of his style on my own.
By kai 2013/06/12 - 23:19
FISTA FROM THE UK KILLS ALL THIS BEST STYLE EVER
By GraffitiMista 2013/07/26 - 15:25
1) Totem
2) Daim
3) Pose
4) East
5) Emit
6) Medio
7) Ewok-5mh/Ewok-Msk
8) Serval
9) Rime
10) Doves
By sonny 107 2013/10/07 - 05:10
There were many greats for one thing or another; there were street writers, bus writers, train taggers, phone booth taggers, maps, juust stations; how to choose… shout out to;
Chi Chi 133
Checkers 170
King II
P.nut 2 (R.I.P.)
Cliff 159 (R.I.P.)
F.D.T. 56
Clyde
REED
Tracy 168
PEL
Preist 167 (R.I.P.)
Turk 62
PJ 109
Charmin 65
Lee 163
I WAS HERE!
Stay High 149 (R.I.P)
Comet one
Spin
Mad I
Vamm
Crachee (R.I.P.)
Blade I
El Marko 174
Apple IV
Big-O 116
Casino 143
Slick Spic 143
CAT 2233
Saint 107
Kool Kevin I & II
Iron Mike I
Staff 161
All Jive 161
Jive 3
Hoy 56
Yaz 56
Bug 170
Seen
MED
Sal
Eddie 80
Dondi (R.I.P.)
Dead Leg 149
IN
OZ
ALL
ALE
Phase 2
Sane
Duster
Set 149 (R.I.P.)
Edgar 125
Kid 17
Doze
Mico
Mitch 77
Jester
Coke I
Crusher I
Stitch I
Snake I
Man 2
Mafia
Moses
Fun 161
HEX
Skeme
Mode
IZ
Tree 127
Frank 207
Flint 707
Killer I
Super strut
Emit
Santos 108
Pro soul I
Sabe
Bates
Revolt
Crash
Pollo
Coco 144
Scope
Sake
Seek
Terror 161
Blue beard 183
Taki 183
Dice I
Lady Pink
Kool III
Slick I
Pipper I
Jake I
EAZ-one
DOC-TC5
Butch 2
Take 5
Jean13
T.Kid 170
Zest one
Noc 167
Dery
Dez
Don 1
Super kool 149
Chino
Malo
And love to all I miss!
By stevee beatz 2013/11/24 - 12:16
Think all you have missed out Kaze 2 from this discussion
By Richard S 2014/11/26 - 14:45
Not sure how you could leave out Honor. NOONE is like him
By Ness790 2015/02/13 - 17:36
How dare you guys leave out the 1 United Power crew aka 1UP, they’re the best to ever done it. From taggin’ in Berlin all the way to Cuba, they’ve tagged all over Europe & some of South America. Look forward to them taggin’ their way into the United States next!
By farty 2015/05/10 - 20:02
you forgot vinski
By farty 2015/05/10 - 20:03
how bout banksy
By Dave the limey 2015/12/06 - 03:25
Everyone needs to check out the work of an old skool UK writer called CAZBEE. This guy’s train pieces were cleaner and more flawless than most other writers’ wall pieces.
By Jakob Gjerstad Hjelme 2017/05/24 - 00:27
Not a bad list, but I would add GT98 from Oslo.